Kootenay Regional Showcase Program

PRESS RELEASE

Calgary Dino’s coach impressed with Kootenay Soccer

University of Calgary Dino’s Soccer Head Coach Brian McDonnell was presently surprised by the standard of local soccer players who participate in the Kootenay Regional Showcase Program (KRS) run by Soccer Quest from their Nelson Indoor location.

The University of Calgary is the closest full university to the Kootenay region so it seemed only common sense for Dave Spendlove, owner of Soccer Quest and Head Coach of the KRS, to invite the Dino’s coaches to the region to compare the local skill levels to those in bigger centres. The Kootenays have been basically an untapped area for soccer. In fact, if you look on a BC Soccer map the Kootenays are not even featured as if non existent. With the starting of the Soccer Quest Indoor facility three years ago and the availability of 12 month soccer in the region, keen, motivated players are now given the opportunity to move on to higher levels of play. Several players are now playing Y League in major centres and the play of local rep teams has improved immensely.

The Dino’s staff ran sessions over two days last weekend and several players have been highlighted for future consideration for the Dino’s soccer program. Most of the KRS players are still in grades 9-11 with a few being past graduates this spring and KRS head coach feels these grade 9-11 players, after 2-3 years of high level training and competition, will stand a good chance of getting scholarships in both the U.S.A and Canada.

The KRS continues its Elite training program with a trip to the Mt. Hood tournament in Portland, OR in August and with several other outdoor showcase tournaments and indoor tournaments over the next several months. The program has started to attract interest with enquiries from US schools and European Professional clubs. In fact, Canadian goalkeeping coach Paul Dolan will be in town August 16 to give some quality tips and training sessions and also monitor the progression of the keepers in the KRS program. Further guest coaches include the Vancouver Whitecaps coaching staff and various other University coaches over the next several months.